**NEW BABY, NEW BABY!!!!! **

[3crazybuns]

  I know this for-go’s my plans of getting Oreo fixed, and waiting and going bunny dating… BUT a friend of mine at church got her 2 girls bunnies about a month ago (or so I guess…not exactly sure of the time frame).. being told that they where both FEMALE well.. obviously NOT because the have 5 baby bunnies now!!!! they are about 5 weeks old at this point… Almost 6 weeks. She wants them to stay with the momma for AT LEAST another week, but she knew about my love for buns and wanted me to come see them… Mistake #1. Of course I couldn’t say no!!! Then I got to hold one…. Mistake #2. Ok…I’m sure you know where I’m going from here—–>

Of course I’m bringing 1 home. I’ve already picked her out (I say her, because she’s taken them to the vet, and to the vets best guess he says this ones a girl) I’m doing this already knowing that they may never bond, and I’m ok with that. Hubby and I talked about it, and we decided that if for whatever reason they don’t bond (when she’s at the right age, fixed, and also Oreo is fixed of course) we will talk about taking Oreo dating anyway. (3 buns!!! …thats just a big IF though)

Ok….so now for my questions: I’ve read over the under 1 year bunny diet, and she will be around 7 weeks old when I bring her home. So her diet will only be alfalfa and pellets. Is Bunny Basics T ok to feed her?

Does BB.com sell Alfalfa… I’ve looked but I don’t see it…just checking if I’m blind there. If not I will get some at Petsmart this weekend, since I know our PetSmart sells Oxbow.

Ok so at 12 weeks I can start introducing veggies and leafy greens…. Is there a specific one I should introduce first? or just pick one?

I have gotten her a x-large wire crate like Oreo has of course the litter pan, food bowl..etc, etc. Should I put her away from Oreo or would it be ok to put her next to him, with say a large piece of cardboard, or a sheet in between the cages. Should I let them see each other at all? 

Anything else I need to know about baby bun care? When should she see the vet again? She was at the vet on Monday for a check up, and thats when he looked to see if he could tell the sexes. 

 

Oh I know you all want to know Her name is going to be Kizzy, she is a lion head (thats the momma’s breed) and lop cross (thats the daddy’s breed) She’s white with grey markings, and her ears are going to lop it looks like!!!!  This isn’t how I planned things, but who knows maybe it will work out, and things will be ok. I’m just going to take things as they are right now, love them both, and care for them both no matter what happens, bonding or no bonding! Thanks everyone for your help!!!!

[Beka27]

Oh wow! That was fast. It should be fine. As long as you fix them both and are patient and take your time with bonding later on down the road, you will hopefully be able to do it. Most any two buns CAN bond, but sometimes it takes a long time and several different techniques. We can help you with all of that later.

Question: Have you already opened up the dog crate? I’d actually recommend you return it and get an xpen instead, that way when they do eventually bond, that can be their combined permanent home. Two dog crates are not really “combinable” and one would just go to waste, but if you had a pen, the final space could be the pen attached to the crate, so you get good use of both. You could put Oreo in the xpen for now and have her in the crate while you work on littertraining.

For diet, you can feed the same timothy pellets and hay Oreo gets, but add some alfalfa hay in as well until she’s about 6 or 7 months old. Veggies can be started right away (about 8 weeks) but you ahve to introduce SLOOOOOOWLY… I’d start with something basic like romain lettuce or some parsely and give ONLY that for a couple weeks so her system can adjust to having greens. Or… if your friend is going to start giving small bits of veggies, find out what she’s getting.

Can you get him neutered BEFORE you bring her home? Another concern is that he may begin to spray when she gets to the house, but neutering before she arrives should prevent that. My first thought would be to not allow them access to each other and keep them in separate areas of the house until she gets older.

[3crazybuns]

Thanks Beka! I know it was fast… it was really sudden, and kind of a whirl wind for me, I was really waiting to take Oreo dating..but… I was at church yesterday evening, then at there house…and bam! We already had the wire kennel we used them for our dogs, and we keep them in the house in case we get fosters, so we aren’t going to waste them. My goal is once they are bonded to build them one BIG NIC condo. I’m HOPING he will get an appointment next week. If not it will be soon after we get her. He went nuts when we got home last night, I had taken a shower, and washed my hands too, but he still smelled her on me I guess. he was bouncing around, and biting at the door of his kennel, and when I let him out he glued his nose to me!!!I was waiting to get bit!!! The vet told her they should be able to go home by 7 weeks to 7 1/2 weeks. Should she wait until 8 weeks?

[Sarita]

He just knows there something new – I doubt he can tell the sex of the baby :~)

I don’t think that BB has just an alfalfa hay, she has a blend with alfalfa though. Start the baby on the grass hay as well.

It would be best to let them stay with momma up until 8 weeks too.

It is okay to start slowly introducing small amounts of greens to her to when you bring her home – maybe a few sprigs of parsley or cilantro and maybe a small piece of romaine. Just simple greens and small amounts.

[jerseygirl]

How exciting! She sounds adorable – a lion lop! Can’t wait for photos. You’ve got all the time in the world…so if she can stay with Mom that bit longer she’d likely do better in the long run. All the time in the world for bonding too!

[3crazybuns]

Question– would Grass hay be the same as Love Grass (aka Teff) ?? Since it takes awhile for me to recieve my BB.com orders (I’m in Kentucky) I want to make sure I get it in plenty of time…But I want to make sure I’m ordering the right thing.

[Sarita]

Yes, that is a grass hay. Let me know how your rabbits like this – I ordered it and have received it and given it to some of my rabbits but I cannot tell how they like it – it looks nice to me.

[3crazybuns]

I will do that!!! Thank you all for your support, I typically don’t do things on a whim like this, and I’m the first person to tell people to PLAN, and be extra prepared! Who knew I’d be my own worst enemy on this!!! She was the first one I held, and she was such a snuggler, the others squeaked and wiggled, she wanted to be close to me, I’m hoping that means she’s gonna be a lover!!!

[Sarita]

I hope so too…but you never can tell.

One of my friend’s got her first rabbit from a pet store and she chose her because she was the only one that licked her but she turned out to be very independent. She loved her anyway.

[3crazybuns]

I got to visit with Kizzy today, She’s almost doubled in size in the last week! =) She’s also eatting pellet on her own now too, but of course still taking Milk from mom!! There vet is coming to the house this week for the horses, and he’s going to check on the babies as well, they are 6 weeks now, so MAYBE they will be ready for new homes next weekend. In a way I hope so, I’m sooooooo excited, but I want them to be able to stay with mom until they are truly ready!! =)

[RabbitPam]

If you can hold out for a couple of more weeks (hard, I know) I think staying with Mom for 8 weeks, even 9, would be healthier for the baby. Also, she will have less trouble with food at that stage and you don’t have to worry about a strict alfalfa diet, but can have some alfalfa with regular pellets and hay mixed I believe.

(Aarita, was your friend’s bunny named Samantha Bunnykins? My girl let me cuddle her and pick her up easily. Once home – nothing doing.)

[Elrohwen]

I would also wait 8 weeks to take her home. Better safe than sorry and moving babies to a new home is always stressful. Can’t wait to see pics of your new bunny!

[3crazybuns]

I talked to my friend at church who has Kizzy now, she basically said she’s going to see what the vet says this week and take things from there. I really hope she does wait until 8 weeks, I’d be nervous to take a bunny home any younger than that, I cringe when I see pupoies going at 6 weeks!

[TARM]

I brought the bunny boys home when they were five weeks old. They had already been separated from the mom for a week. They were eating pellets, hay, and veggies and they’ve done great with everything.

Congrats on the new baby!

[3crazybuns]

Thanks! She’s suppose to call me by Wednesday to let me know what the vet says, and when they will be ready to go home. I’m excited, but at the same time I would rather they be really ready. She told me yesterday at church they had stopped taking Milk from Mom, and had been eatting pretty good on their own. She was thinking about taking them away from Mom now, but wanted to confirm that it would be ok to do so from the vet. They are 5 weeks old now.

[Beka27]

Aw, they’re only 5 weeks? I would really encourage her to keep them with mom until at least 7 weeks. It can be done, like Tarm said, her boys came home at 5 weeks, but it’s really better to be safe than sorry…

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